Dr. Raul I. Ivan Medina, MD

VILLAGE MEDICAL (VM)   18435 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix, AZ  85023

URGENT! PATIENT GOING THROUGH WITHDRAWAL AND NOT DOING WELL!
  On 3/26/24 I inform Doctor RAUL MEDINA SICRE (RMS) that Medicare was billed for services never received and Patient Medical Records are erroneous.
  Doctor Fires me but states that he will write Refills on Patient’s 5 Medications to last for one year; giving Patient time to find a new PCP.  His words, “... that way you can find someone who is a little more compatible.”   
  But that’s not what Dr. RMS did.  Four of the five medications were written as he said he would do; 90-days with 3 Refills.  One Psychiatric medication was written for 90 days only, with No Refills.  On 4/10/24 I went to Doctor with the error.  Doctor would not see me but conveyed through staff that he was not changing the prescription.  The office receptionist who delivered Dr. RMS’s message that he will not extend my prescription past 90 days was witness to me going through a Panic Attack.  Not a fit of anger, so the threat of calling the police was unnecessary.
  Consequently, I had less than 90-days to find a PCP accepting new patients, change Insurance information, make an appointment, be seen by the new PCP, allow time for the prescription information to be sent to, and processed by, the pharmacy, then finally wait several days for the prescription to arrive in the mail.  That is, IF everything goes well. 
  I was able to get an appointment with a new PCP after a 7-week waiting period.  On that date, I would have enough medication for 29 days.  BUT, 34 days before the appointment, I was notified that appointment was cancelled because PCP left the practice earlier in the week.
  I have been taking the Venlafaxine ER that this doctor has unethically chosen to keep from me, at the recommended maximum dosage of 225 mg, for 16 years.  He did annual refills on all my medications last year, as did the other two VM doctors I saw the two previous years.  As has every PCP I’ve had the 12 years prior to them. 
  I was left with no option but to have to go through withdrawal from Venlafaxine ER.  Worried?  YES!  This is the second year in a row!  In 2023 I was forced into withdrawal for 13 days because of this doctor.   I made 5 doses last for 9 days, but went 3-1/2 days with no medication.  I was extremely physically sick every day, not to mention being emotionally unstable.  On two of those days, I could think of nothing other than killing myself!   
  Last year Dr. RMS made an error when submitting my annual prescriptions, on this same medication.  I received an email from my Insurance Pharmacy saying that my doctor has not responded to their request for information.  I was asked to contact my doctor.  I found out Dr. RMS doesn’t answer my emails through the Patient Portal either.  I went to the office and Staff just resubmitted the incorrect prescription again.  I finally had to go through my Insurance to obtain an Emergency Exemption to remain on the disallowed formulation of the medication.  (tablets instead of capsules)     
  Why did Dr. RMS choose, when no medical reason exists, to cut my psychiatric medication after 90 days?  I attest the reason to be Retaliation.  He clearly stated he had a compatibility issue with me in this 6th office visit with him.  What was different than the other 5?  I chose to voice my displeasure about erroneous information in my medical record and subsequent insurance billings.
  With his knowledge, I audio recorded the 3/26/24 visit.  (I will gladly submit a copy of the recording)
  When I brought up an incorrect diagnosis listed in my Medical Record to his attention, he responded, “So.  Whatever.” 
   I mentioned “I have a problem...” with a different, incorrect diagnosis attached to my other Psych. medication, Trazodone.  His response was, “Not anymore!”  My reply was “Don’t deny me my Psych meds!”  He then said, “Oh!  So you see, you do need something from us.”   
  I took that as some kind of Self-Acclamation of Power that he had over me.  Which he did, and he later proved that he did.
  After Dr. told me I was unkind as well as rude for not shaking his hand when he first walked in, I began reiterating my concerns about the incorrect diagnosis.  Dr. interrupted me saying, “OK we’re going to take you off Trazadone.”
    The entire visit was one of defensive negation, mostly by talking over the top of me.  The above is only a small part of the office visit.  Dr. RMS clearly illustrated a lack of accountability and the demonstration of the ability to unethically control a patient’s well-being.  Only a threat on 3/26/2024, but later became my reality on 4/10/2024.
    It is my assertion that Dr. RMS has chosen to conduct himself in contradiction to the guidelines and principles that outline expected behavior and ethical standards of his employer, as well as with the credo of his profession as a doctor.